Local Girl Scouts ready for sale with Cookie Rally

Local troops gathered for a Girl Scout Cookie Rally on Saturday, that included a variety of activities such as making signs to use during the sale. Girl Scout Cookies go on sale starting Sunday, Jan. 27. (Callie Jones/Journal-Advocate)

STERLING -- It's Colorado's sweetest time of the year: Girl Scout Cookie time. Approximately 25 local Girl Scouts gathered at the Pawnee Lodge at Pioneer Park on Saturday evening to get geared up for cookie sales, with a Cookie Rally.

Girl Scout Cookies go on sale across the state starting Sunday, Jan. 27, through March 3. Booth sales in front of retail locations start Feb. 8.

During this weekend's Cookie Rally girls of all ages took part in a number of activities to get them ready for selling, including learning safety tips.

"Doing all the fun activities," like those at the Cookie Rally, is what Samantha Matson, 14, and Vanessa Vitacco, 9, say they like most about being a Girl Scout.

Another activity at the Girl Scouts Cookie Rally was a game that taught the girls important safety tips. (Callie Jones/Journal-Advocate)

Matson has been involved in the Girl Scouts for about eight years and looks forward to the cookie sales every year.

"I just have a bunch of fun when I do it," she said. "Everybody loves them."

Money raised from sales is used to pay for trips and activities, as well as badges.

May also points out the cookie sales are important because they help the girls learn business skills.

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Ginger Bailey, another troop leader, says there's a progression as the girls get older; they learn how important the cookie sales are and their knowledge builds.

Among the skills the girls learn are budgeting and money counting, people skills and decision-making. They also learn about goal-setting -- for example, one troop's goal this year is to sell enough cookies to earn a trip to Washington, D.C.

Making sock puppets was another fun part of the evening at the Girl Scouts Cookie Rally. (Callie Jones/Journal-Advocate)

Girl Scout alumni are shining examples of the lifelong impact of the Girl Scout Cookie Program. Today, more than two-thirds of women business owners and CEOs, and United States senators and congresswomen, were Girl Scouts. Currently, Girl Scouts boasts a 59 million alumnae base, and many of these women say they learned their early business leadership skills through selling Girl Scout Cookies.

In 1917, Girl Scouts began selling cookies, and today the program has grown into a $790 million girl-led business. In fact, last year Colorado Girl Scouts earned $2.25 million for their activities, such as going to camp, traveling domestically or internationally, completing a take action project to benefit the community, taking a Girl Scout leadership journey and/or earning a Girl Scout badge on a topic or two of interest.

This year Girl Scouts in Colorado will sell the six most popular Girl Scout Cookie varieties, including Do-si-Dos, Samoas, Savannah Smiles, Tagalongs, Thin Mints and Trefoils. All Girl Scout Cookie varieties contain zero grams of trans fat per serving and the Do-si-Dos, Savannah Smiles and Trefoils have no hydrogenated oils. Further information about Girl Scout Cookie ingredients can be found at littlebrownie.com.

This year, for the first time since the 1990s, Girl Scout Cookie packages across the country will have a new look. During Saturday's Cookie Rally the girls got to make their own 3D glasses to use while watching a video showing the new cookie box designs for this year, which emphasize the financial literacy and entrepreneurship skills taught through the Girl Scout Cookie Program.

In Colorado, the new Girl Scout packaging will be rolled-out with a mix of old and new packaging. However, regardless of the packaging, all Girl Scout Cookies purchased in 2013 will be a freshly baked product.

Girl Scouts are encouraged to "ask" family and friends to buy Girl Scout Cookies online through email, social networking (such as Facebook or Twitter) or even text messaging; however, at this time, Girl Scouts cannot collect money online for cookie purchases.

In Colorado, Girl Scouts can participate in the online Cookie Club, where they set goals, track their progress and email their family and friends to ask them to make purchases.

Making the world a better place is central to the Girl Scout mission and during the Cookie Program, Girl Scouts honor the non-profit organizations, food banks, military and uniformed personnel who are so important to our community through Girl Scouts' Hometown Heroes/Gift of Caring program. Local troops have given to teachers, military, firefighters and nurses.

Through the Hometown Heroes program, customers have the opportunity to purchase a package of cookies to donate to Girl Scouts' heroes -- a perfect solution for those who would like to pass on the tempting treats. Girls learn about the invaluable work of their recipients by taking tours, learning about careers in public service and helping with service projects.

All Hometown Heroes/Gift of Caring purchases may be eligible for a tax deduction. Last year's statewide program netted 114,565 packages for hundreds of organizations.

Customers looking for cookies can use the "Cookie Locator" online or the mobile app to search for Booth Sale locations where they can make a purchase. Once customers find a location that works for them, they can add it to their calendar and/or sign up to receive email reminders about sale locations.

It's not too late for any girl in kindergarten through high school to join in on the fun of selling cookies. There are both troop and individual opportunities. Those interested in getting involved can contact Bailey at (970) 324-4191.